Information AboutPrize Bond |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT PRIZE BOND | |
| bonds | |
| economy of ireland | |
| securities | |
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BACKGROUND The Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1956 (Part V) is the primary legislation under which the bonds are authorised. Bonds where first sold in March 1957, with the first draw held in September of that year. Originally the Bank Of Ireland , as the governments banker, was the operator of the scheme. When the scheme commenced the biannual draws, in September and March, whereby means of six drums the winning Serial Number was drawn randomly; in 1972 the serial number was increased from six to seven digits for bonds issued after that time. In 1993 regulation was made for the conduct of the draws on a weekly basis and by a computer driven Random Number Generator , been software based, to determine winning numbers. ORGANISATION The Prize Bond Company is a joint venture between the founders An Post and FEXCO and is based in Killorglin , County Kerry . The company was created in 1989 with issued share capital between the founders of 50% each and will operate the scheme under its current contract until October 31, 2009. Employees of the Prize Bond Company are seconded from the respective partner, FEXCO is responsible for administration, whilst An Post is responsible for accounting and marketing in addition to conducting the draws. The National Treasury Management Agency has since its establishment, in 1990, had authority over regulation. FINANCE Originally bonds could be purchased as in units of £5(, Dublin , range from €75 to a jackpot of €20,000, except on the first draw every month when the jackpot is €150,000. The annual prize giveaway is 2.4% of the total fund. Winnings are tax free within the Republic of Ireland. Recently there has been some concern that the bonds do not represent value for money for the government, in particular the cost of administration relative to the cost of interest on borrowings. REFERENCE Sunday Business Post (February 05, 2006) Prize Bond scheme costs more than borrowing EXTERNAL LINK |
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